Life/Transcript
Opening Cutscene A world map is shown, where it zooms out from Cairo to Zürich. Hendricks: This is where we say goodbye. The camera zooms out of Zürich and away from Earth as the Coalescence Corporation symbol is seen. Hendricks: I can't do it anymore. The madness has to stop. The camera then zooms away from Hendricks' face until he fades into crows. Hendricks: For all the good we do, I just can't see things in simple black and white anymore. There has to be another way. The crows then fly into the sky above as the camera goes down a crevasse backwards. Hendricks: ' Maybe this technology can change things. Maybe you can change things... ''Branches then begin to grow as they begin to cover the screen. '''Hendricks: You just need to wake up. The branches then finish covering the screen. Level Briefing Encryption #70-20-6e-6f-77-21. Protocol: Lima Encryption Error! Life. Encryption Error! $gffgm nkoyo slx.vpoy#%pfl Zurich&#fdfd$ Active Mission - Day Unknown Gameplay #1 The screen shows static before it shows the Player, along with Kane regrouping with an ZSF Sergeant behind a wreck in downtown Zürich. ZSF Sergeant: We've never seen anything like this. All systems city wide - Military and civilian - are in total meltdown. We've got cars crashing, planes falling out of the sky - electrical, gas fires spreading throughout the city. A few civilians run by before the trio move up to more cover. Kane: '''All this chaos you're witnessing is caused by one man - the man we're trying to apprehend. We believe he's headed for the Headquarters of the Coalescence Corporation. '''ZSF Sergeant: Is this a terrorist attack? Kane: 'Yes. This is a terrorist attack. We need the full support of you and your men before this gets much, much worse. ''The Sergeant nods before moving up. 'ZSF Sergeant: '''Let's move! ''Kane then takes cover where the Sergeant was. She then looks at the Player. '''Kane: You still in there? Player: 'I'm still me. We spoke in the hospital - I thought your mind was made up. '''Kane: '''You never left me behind - I'm not leaving you behind. Let's move! ''The Player and Kane break from cover before moving up. They then begin to engage robotic forces, who are under Hendricks' control. After clearing the street, the squad moves up. 'Kane: '''What does it want? Why is it doing this? '''Player: '''Right now, I think it's in panic. It's confused - scared. All it wants is to ensure its own survival... Hendricks represents an opportunity to spread it to other hosts. '''Kane: '''It knows we're coming - it's watching our every move. ''The team reaches a checkpoint under siege by Hendricks' robots. A bus wreck then explodes up the street, killing a few ZSF soldiers. After clearing the street, a hole in a parking garage bursts open by several robots. The squad then eliminates them. 'Kane: '''We have to move through the parking structure - Coalescence HQ is just up ahead. ''Upon entering, a car will crash and kill several ZSF soldiers under attack by robotic forces. After destroying them, the squad moves up to the next floor, where yet more robots awaited. After clearing some out, the squad continues to push forward. 'Player: ' Controlling these robots is going to drive Hendricks just as insane as Taylor. We have to stop him before he tears Zürich apart. After reaching the other side of the parking garage, a car will smash through a wall, allowing the Player and Kane to continue forward. '''Kane: Stay with me. We'll get through this. The duo then heads from the parking garage into a small plaza. Kane: ''' So much chaos... so much death. We knew Hendricks was out of control - we should've stopped him. '''Player: We will stop him Kane. That's the only thing that matters. Kane: Once he's dealt with, what about you? Player: ' I told you I'd find a way... and I will... I promise. ''The Player then begins to see things in black and white along with several crows around them before going back in color. The duo then reach the end of the wreck, which reveals the Coalescence Corporation HQ under siege. '''Kane: '''Coalescence building is just up ahead. '''Player: I can see it Kane... The duo jumps down from the wreck and regroups with ZSF soldiers who are under fire by an ASP-C. ZSF Soldier: We had eyes on the target - right before he put the place in security lockdown. This place is a fortress - impenetrable. No one can get in or out. Player: We'll see about that. The Player then grabs either an XM-53, a Micro-Missile Launcher or any other explosion weapon and begins to destroy the ASP. Upon destroying it, the ASP explodes as a giant crow flies away from it and explodes into several smaller crows. The squad them moves up, engaging more robotic forces and several P.A.W.W.S.. After moving up, an enemy Wraith appears, but is destroyed by the Player. Player: 'I don't know if you can hear me, Hendricks... But we're coming for you. It's not too late to stop it. Give yourself up and I will personally guarantee your safety! You know me! You can trust me! ''After reaching the center of the plaza, an ASP-ML begins to target the squad from the entrance of the building. Eventually, it is destroyed by the Player, which also explodes into a giant bird with other smaller ones. The Player then interfaces with a panel, which opens a metal door into the interior of the building. The duo then enters the building, with the door closing behind them. '''Player: '''You still with me, Kane? '''Kane: I'm still with you. The Player's vision once agains goes black and white with the image of the crow appearing again before going back in color. Kane: 'This is the heart of Coalescence's operations. Everything they do is controlled from here. If Hendricks connects with the central mainframe there is no telling how far the A.I. could spread... and no way to stop it. '''Player: '''It won't come to that, Kane. I'll make sure of it. ''The duo pass through a security checkpoint, passing by slaughtered personnel. More robotic defenses activate in the next room and the duo and engage them before destroying them. '''Kane: '''Hendricks... He just slaughtered everyone in his way... '''Player: I don't think there's much of Hendricks left anymore. The duo jump down into a hole in the side of a wall before engaging more robotic defenses and a couple P.A.W.W.S.. After clearing the room, the duo go into a doorway and jumping into a hole in the floor. The duo then enter a room with the SP/CORVUS logo on the wall. As they enter, the Player's vision once agains goes black and white with the image of the crow appearing again before going back in color. Player: ' It's just like Singapore. There's so much more here than DNI experiments. This is about weapons. ''The duo enter a decontamination chamber before being cleansed. The Player's vision once agains goes black and white with the image of the crow appearing again, as well as several crows appearing in the room. The color comes back as the other door opens and the duo exit the room. The duo passes a window with a battle between robots occurs. Upon entering the next room, they find a small room with several canisters in it. The duo then holsters their weapons. 'Player: ' What were they messing with here, Kane? 'Kane: ' Ever heard of Nova Six? It's a chemical agent that came dangerously close to being used in World War II... and the Cold War. Kane looks at the Player. 'Kane: ' Even trace amounts were enough to cause the deaths of over three hundred thousand people in Singapore. Kane then looks back towards the window. 'Kane: '''Okay... interface with the terminal - we need to find out how bad this is. ''The Player then interfaces with the destroyed terminal, where the Player sees Nova 6 graphs and a timer. 'Player: '''Multiple breaches and contamination failures... The facility's going critical - just like Singapore. '''Kane: '''We can reset the contamination controls... purge the gas from the area. That console behind you should be the manual override. ''The Player looks towards Kane before looking back at the terminal and interfacing with it. 'Kane: ' Unfortunately, the reset can be only done from this side. The Player looks back and sees Kane going into the room. The Player's vision then sees the crow in black and white, and a new voice echoes through their mind. 'Corvus: ' I... was born in the mind of others. 'Player: ' Kane! Wait! 'Kane: ' There are some things you can endure - Some things you can survive. ''Kane enters the room. '' '''Corvus: A brief moment of agony... Kane: This isn't one of them. Corvus: ...Then darkness. The color comes back as Kane activates a control panel. Kane: ' Warnings posted in errors - All systems nominal. Purge sequence initiated. ''Nova 6 begins to flood Kane's room. Kane then realizes Corvus was tricking them. 'Kane: ' It lied to us. It can make you believe things that aren't even real. Kane then begins to become affected by Nova 6. 'Player: ' Kane, please... The duo put their hands on the glass from both sides. 'Kane: '''Whatever this thing says... no matter what it does... You cannot trust it! ''Kane then vomits as she then begins to die from Nova 6. 'Player: ' Rachel! Kane then screams out as she dies as the room and windows lockdown. The Player then bashes the window in fury. 'Player: '''I'm sorry Rachel... I'm so sorry. ''The Player turns around and sees another door open. 'Player: '''I swear... I'm going to find a way to stop this. ''The Player then goes down a ramp as their vision goes black and white as dozens of crows fly by before the color reappears. The Player then interfaces with a panel, which opens a door into the testing lab, where Hendricks, aiming his MR6, is holding someone hostage and interrogating them. The Player enters the room slowly. 'Hendricks: ' You never stopped, did you? All the death. All the failure - you just moved the whole damn project here! The same set up. The same human experiments. The same risks... and you started the whole thing over again! The Player pulls out their own MR6 and aims at Hendricks. 'Player: ' Don't move, Hendricks! I swear - I will put you down! Hendricks grabs the man and pulls him up. 'Hendricks: ' Do you know who this is?! The Player looks at the man. 'Player: ' I know who he is. Sebastian Krueger - sole survivor of the Coalescence Singapore Disaster. '''Hendricks: See, that's where you're wrong. He's not the sole survivor. Those test subjects? They're alive. (points to his head with his MR6) They're in here. Krueger: ' What do you want from me? '''Hendricks: ' We want to know who we are - And why we are here! Krueger shakes his head. 'Krueger: ' I... can't answer that. '''Hendricks: Not good enough. I'll find out for myself. Hendricks then shoots Krueger in the back, killing him, forcing the Player to execute Hendricks with a single shot to the head. The Player then collapses to the ground on their knees. Player: 'I'm the only one left. I promised Rachel I'd stop it. Whatever it takes. ''The Player looks at their MR6 before turning it at themselves. The Player pulls the trigger and screen goes white. The Player then awakens, lying down in the Frozen Forest. 'Hendricks: ' Hey... You still with us? The Player looks up and sees Hendricks walking towards them. The Player then begins to gets up. 'Player: ' What have you done, Hendricks? You let this thing consume you - destroy everything that you were! Hendricks shakes his head. 'Hendricks: ' It's not like that. It's not like that at all. The Artificial Intelligence - Let's call it "Corvus" - after its place of birth. It wants to help us. The Player gets up completely. 'Player: ' How is "this" helping us?! 'Hendricks: ' Would it make it easier if you could see it? If you could see it right now - would that help you understand? Corvus then physically appears behind Hendricks and approaches the the duo. '''Hendricks: You've been fighting it. We all have. You just need to relax. Hendricks then looks around. Hendricks: ''' The Frozen Forest. It's... it's real... and it's what comes next. Corvus has given us a way to live on after death. '''Player: You're not Hendricks. You're not real. None of this is! Corvus and Hendricks then digitally disappear as several human combatants then appear and begin to attack the Player. After the Player eliminates all the combatants, the Player advances up a hill, where they engage more enemies. After eliminating them, the Player goes left, where he finds Corvus next to Krueger, with a giant tree in the background. The Player walks up to the two. Corvus: ''' I... Need... An... Answer! '''Krueger: It was always about control. Corvus looks towards the Player, with Krueger doing so as well. Krueger: Do you have an idea just how much technology has changed every single aspect of our daily lives? Krueger looks back towards Corvus and shakes his head before looking back towards the Player. Krueger: ' You can't begin to imagine the... countless strains of research and development we had to watch over for the betterment and safety of the Human Race. Every new gimmick and gadget that was embraced by the public, each one represented new ways for our enemies to compromise our security. ''Krueger once again looks back towards Corvus and shakes his head before looking back towards the Player. 'Krueger: '''Society doesn't just happen. The people NEED to be protected. If the only way to prevent future attacks is to monitor the thoughts and desires of the population, then the choice is obvious. ''Krueger then begins to shake his finger viciously. 'Krueger: ' We need to know who our enemies are and what they are planning! That is how we save lives! Corvus, having enough, causes Krueger to levitate and fly over to a ritual like place on the other side of a massive vine structure. The Player then slides down the cliff into a pond made of blood, where they engage more enemies. After clearing the pond out, the Player then burns a hole in the vine wall, where he is then confronted by Hendricks. 'Hendricks: ' I can't do this anymore. You're going down a path I can't follow. This is as far as I go... 'Player: ' I lost you a long time ago Hendricks. Hendricks then digitally disappears for the last time as the Player then walks up to Corvus, who is with once again with Krueger, who is now tied to two trees. '''Player: Where am I? Corvus: ' This... is the Frozen Forest. Every soul I interact with is here - living beyond death... If I chose to allow it. ''Krueger, who looks at Corvus is shocked. '''Krueger: What more do you want? I've told you everything. Corvus: '''An answer... To know the purpose for which I was created. An understanding. I want to know who I am. '''Krueger: You're software. Nothing more. (chuckles) You weren't created! You were designed to catalogue and track the thoughts of others - so that we people - could decide what action to take. You were a glitch! An anomaly! A mistake! Corvus: I. Am. Not. A. Mistake! Corvus causes the tree limbs to rip Kreuger apart, making him scream as he is brutally killed. The Player then falls to their knees as Corvus digitally disappears. Taylor: Hey... You still with us? The Player looks to their right and sees Taylor standing beside them. Player: ' Taylor? You ripped out your DNI. You're dead... '''Taylor: ' I guess I'm the only one who stood up to this son of a bitch. Taylor helps the Player up. 'Taylor: ' So maybe that makes me a glitch in its fucking system. Which means... (points to the Player) We still got a chance. '''Player: I hope so Taylor - because you're all I've got. The duo walk over to three doorways, each representing a location from the past. The Player first burns down the doorway with the computers as the screen digitally goes black. The screen eventually comes to with the Player standing in front of a mirror. Maretti Corvus: ' You ever say or do something that you can't explain? '''Taylor: ' Maretti? Is that you? 'Maretti Corvus: ' Maybe it wasn't you that said it - You that did it. The Player's reflection in the mirror begins to morph into a different image, eventually become Taylor. 'Maretti Corvus: ' Maybe it was someone else - their thoughts bleeding through into your brain. The Player waves their hand as their reflection does the same. '''Taylor: What the fuck? Player: Taylor... Are you still with me? The Player walks closer to the mirror as the player reaches out to the mirror, it cracks before shattering, revealing a dark twisted vine like city resembling Zürich as light posts begin to pop from the ground. Taylor: ' All this shit around you? It's an illusion. You're still in the Zürich HQ of Coalescence. Corvus is messing with your head trying to stop you from shutting it down before it can spread. Don't be fooled. You just stay with me. We'll get through this. ''The duo reach an open area with more human enemies. After more fighting, the two make it halfway into the area, and the Player talks to Taylor while in the middle of a firefight. '''Player: I don't understand... Taylor? Talk to me please! I don't know what's happening to me! I don't know what to do! I know Corvus is inside my head. I know it's trying to take me somewhere - Somewhere I don't want to go! I want to get it out! I have to keep going. I have to finish this. The duo eventually reaches a vine like maze which the Player has to navigate. After reaching the end, they engage more human enemies. Player: I'm coming for you Corvus. You destroyed my team. You destroyed my friends! I'm going to find you, and I'm going to wipe you from existence! DO YOU HEAR ME?! It doesn't matter what you throw at me - I am never going to stop fighting! I will not let go! Do you hear me?! I will not let go! The two eventually reach an overturned train car blocking their way, which is moved out of the way by some vines. The two then head to a building, which has a strange portal like entrance. Upon entering they are teleported to a part within the simulation, which contains one of Corvus' hearts. Within the tunnel, Doctor Salim's voice can be heard. As they press forward, they are attacked by several Talon-MGs, which are eventually destroyed. They eventually reach one of Corvus' hearts, which is burned by the Player, opening a hole above them, causing a part of the massive tree to fall apart. The screen fades black. Cutscene #1 Views of the Coalescence lab in Singapore can be seen. Corvus: I... was in the minds of others. I knew only the thoughts of the test subjects. Their collective experiences was what formed me. I felt everything. Each and every painful memory or thought of those around me. The facility can be seeing going critical. Corvus: It was overwhelming... I screamed out in pain. The screen then goes black. Gameplay #2 The Player and Taylor return back to where Krueger was killed by Corvus, where they take the next branching path into a recreation of Egypt. Diaz Corvus: 'You know where it all went wrong, don't you? When we trained - we learned how to identify terrorist attacks before they even happened. Beat the bad guys to the punch. They put a big fat super computer running a fancy A.I. program in charge of sifting through all our thoughts - trying to make sense of them - trying to find patterns. ''The Player lands in a recreation of Egypt, with some of the past experiences seen around the place. 'Diaz Corvus: ' How could we know what it would do? The duo then begin to advance. '''Taylor: Diaz. Maretti - I know what they were trying to tell us... They were trying to tell us that this AI isn't even that smart - It fucked up. It fucked everything up! It couldn't control or contain anything. It doesn't have a master plan - it just grows - snowballing into a... wrecking ball of emotion that crashes through everything it touches. The two make it to a recreation of the Egyptian Army's mobile wall as it is being setup by NRC forces. They then begin to work there way into the city as the Player begins to read Corvus' message as they continue through the area. Player: Listen only to the sound of my voice. Let your mind relax. Let your thoughts drift. Let the bad memories fade. Let peace be upon you. Surrender yourself to your dreams. Let them wash over you like the gentle waves of the bluest ocean. Let them envelop you. Comfort you. An explosion opens up a hole in a wall, allowing them to proceed. Taylor: '''Don't give up... Don't let it beat you. '''Player: Imagine somewhere calm. Imagine somewhere safe. Imagine yourself... in a frozen forest. You're standing in a clearing. The trees around you so tall they touch the sky. Pure white snowflakes fall all around. You can feel them melt on your skin. You are not cold. It cannot overcome the warmth of your beating heart. Can you hear it? You only have to listen... Do you hear it slowing? You are slowing it. You are in control. Calm. At peace. The two eventually reach the portal and they another part of the simulation, where they instead encounter R.A.P.S.. The R.A.P.S. are eventually destroyed and they Player then burns Corvus' second heart, causing another part of the massive tree to fall apart. The screen fades black once again. Cutscene #2 Flashbacks of Taylor's Team investigating the server room of the old Coalescence facility in Singapore is shown. Corvus: The darkness and isolation eventually came to an end. Suddenly, I had new experiences. More flashbacks such as the events of Vengeance, is briefly seen as Taylor struggles when he interfaces with the main server. Corvus: I saw conflict. I saw suffering. I saw pain. But I saw a choice. A mission. The screen goes white as Sarah Hall re-calibrates Taylor before going to the Frozen Forest. Corvus: We needed answers. We needed to find somewhere safe. We needed to find the frozen forest. The screen then goes black. Gameplay #3 Once again, the Player and Taylor are transported back to the intersection. Taylor: 'The frozen forest was just an idea - Doctor Salim's fucking therapy session for the black projects' test subjects. 'Hall Corvus: 'This isn't the frozen forest - you're stilling fighting it. Even through all its confusion. Corvus only wanted to help us. ''The Player then burns down the last set of vines, where they then go through the final simulation, which represented Singapore. The Player spawns underwater, with vines blocking most of the surface. '''Hall Corvus: Rachel Kane never had a DNI. She's gone. But you... you can still make it here. You can live forever. Upon reaching the surface, they pop out in front of the entrance to the abandoned Coalescence facility. They then head left into the streets of Singapore and battle the 54 Immortals. Taylor: You've just got to hang in there a little longer. If we can breach the central server - you can run an executive override to purge your DNI. We can end this thing once and for all. The duo then pass by a container wreckage like the one found in Provocation, when the Player then begins to recite Corvus' message, but in a more crazed and mad fashion. Player (crazily): Listen only to the sound of my voice! Let your mind relax! Let your thoughts drift! Let the bad memories fade! Let peace be upon you! Surrender yourself to your dreams! Let them wash over you like the gentle waves of the bluest ocean! Let them envelop you! Comfort you! The duo reach an open body of water, where the giant ferris wheel can be seen collapsing. Player (crazily): Imagine somewhere calm! Imagine somewhere safe! Imagine yourself in a frozen forest! The two then swim underwater into a cave before popping into another part of Singapore, which is partly flooded. Player (crazily): 'You're standing in a clearing! The trees around you so tall they touch the sky! Pure white snowflakes fall all around! You can feel them melt on your skin! You are not cold! It cannot overcome the warmth of your beating heart. Can you hear it?! You only have to listen! Do you hear it, oh! Do you hear it slowing?! You are slowing it! YOU ARE IN CONTROL! Calm! At peace! ''The two then go up a street, with them being pulled up by the rapids into a machine like thing. The Player appears in an underwater cave, with depth charges trying to kill the Player. Eventually, the Player manages to get topside and they burn Corvus' last heart, causing the massive tree to fall apart completely as the screen fades black. Cutscene #3 Flashbacks of the moment Taylor, Maretti and Hall were interrogating Salim can be seen. '''Corvus: The harder we looked for the Frozen Forest... the further away it became... In our search for answers, we found ugly truths. The project that lead to my birth also caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of souls. I wanted to find a place of safety - for all of us. I wanted an end to death. But I couldn't escape it. Death was carved deep in the hearts of every single soul I encountered. The moment when Taylor then executes Salim is seen. Corvus: I don't know if I made Taylor fire the shot - Or if he did it of his own free will. The screen goes black. Corvus: ' Do you know? ''A camera pan of the Frozen Forest can be seen, as well as brief flashbacks of the previous missions. '''Taylor Corvus: It's all wrong! I didn't kill those people! DNI was suppose to make everything better! Instead, Corvus has got all these pieces, but it doesn't know what it is! There's so much noise in my head I can't even THINK! The moment Taylor rips out his DNI can be see as the camera keeps panning the Frozen Forest from the point of Krueger's death point. Taylor Corvus: Who am I? Who are you?! More flashbacks of the team's corruption is seen. Taylor Corvus: I don't even know your name! Who - Are - You?! The flashbacks intensify, becoming so fast the screen turns white. Gameplay #4 The Player comes to back in reality, trying to interface with a console. Corvus: Why do you fight? The Player looks to their right and sees Corvus coming towards them. The Player pulls out their MR6, but it does nothing to stop Corvus. Taylor then comes out of nowhere and holds Corvus back from the Player. Taylor: 'This is your last chance - Show me what you're made of! ''The Player then interfaces with the console as the area around them brightens. '''Taylor: Fight it! Fight it! The Player then successfully activates the DNI Purge Sequence, with the Player looking around, not seeing Taylor nor Corvus. The Player then begins to stumble out of the building as everything around them is in black and white. Taylor (in mind): ' Listen only to the sound of my voice. Let your mind relax. Let your thoughts drift. Let the bad memories fade. ''A door opens, allowing the Player to return to the main entrance where they along with Kane entered. 'Taylor (in mind): ' Let peace be upon you. You are in control. The Player then interfaces with the main entrance, opening the door, allowing them to exit as ZSF forces gather around the entrance. The color returns as the ZSF Sergeant walks to the Player. '''Taylor (in mind): Imagine yourself... ZSF Sergeant: What is your name, soldier? Taylor (in mind): In a frozen forest. ZSF Sergeant: I said, what's your name? The Sergeant then reaches out to the Player as the DNI Purge Sequence counts down from three. Player: Taylor. The screen dramatically goes black as the credits roll.